VAIL SUCKS

[snoseek]

I was gonna buy a couple day passes but this year I truly say fuck vail there's other places to ski.

Also while I'm at it fuck alterra I'm not going that route this year as well. They are only slightly better than vail as they don't have shareholders.

 

[Zand]

Okemo says Upper Chief and Fastlane are open all natural today. Color me surprised. If they still have them open Tuesday and Mt Snow doesn't open anything natural I may call an audible.

 

[jimmywilson69]

Wow slopes on natural at Okemo? I'm shocked but cool nonetheless

 

[Zand]

I was shocked to see that in the report. I'm hoping that if they get Sapphire open soon then maybe Jolly Green Giant will be allowed to open on natural and some other stuff on that side. Fingers crossed.

 

[jimmywilson69]

Yeah there are some decent slopes over there that would be good to ski natural

 

[chuckstah]

I was shocked to see that in the report. I'm hoping that if they get Sapphire open soon then maybe Jolly Green Giant will be allowed to open on natural and some other stuff on that side. Fingers crossed.

They have honestly opened lots of stuff on total shit conditions the last couple of years. They make so little snow now that they even open total ski wreckers just to boost the trail count.

 

[Zand]

I spoke it into existence... Jolly Green Giant is open!

They have honestly opened lots of stuff on total shit conditions the last couple of years. They make so little snow now that they even open total ski wreckers just to boost the trail count.

I've admittedly pretty much avoided Vail resorts since they've moved east but I always thought their M/O was to not open anything until it was beyond deep enough. I'm actually rather glad to hear that they open things up with thin cover.

 

[drjeff]

I'll give kudos to the patrol at Okemo today. It was crowded, but they were dropping ropes on numerous trails off of Sunburst 6. Those trails got skied off quickly, but it helped spread out the masses

 

[MikeDeJ]

I'll give kudos to the patrol at Okemo today. It was crowded, but they were dropping ropes on numerous trails off of Sunburst 6. Those trails got skied off quickly, but it helped spread out the masses

I agree and patrol working the singles line at the lift to keep it moving. Really as busy as it was the mtn handled it great.

 

[jaytrem]

I'll give kudos to the patrol at Okemo today. It was crowded, but they were dropping ropes on numerous trails off of Sunburst 6. Those trails got skied off quickly, but it helped spread out the masses

Good to hear, now hopefully Mount Snow goes back to being less conservative. Last year was very different than every one I can remember.

 

[thetrailboss]

I'll give kudos to the patrol at Okemo today. It was crowded, but they were dropping ropes on numerous trails off of Sunburst 6. Those trails got skied off quickly, but it helped spread out the masses

"Right on cue. Again, you're welcome!"

 

[thetrailboss]

18 degrees and they are shutting snow guns down at Roundtop. Second day in a row they've shut guns down with great temps and humidity.

Rumor is they aren't opening unt the 20th so I'm guessing that the bean counters in Broomfield said you can make snow but you only get 1 shift until it's time to open.

"Well, now that you mention it, that is a good idea!"

 

[joshua segal]

I'll give kudos to the patrol at Okemo today. It was crowded, but they were dropping ropes on numerous trails off of Sunburst 6. Those trails got skied off quickly, but it helped spread out the masses

Agree. I got three runs the first hour. Afterwards, I was averaging four runs for three hours. I spoke to someone who told me they were expecting 2800 people, but it appeared as though they got closer to 4000 (Corrected info added 12/2: 3400).

Not only were Patrol Handling the crowd on Sunburst, the GM was out there too. I noticed also they stopped scanning.

I also commend Patrol for dropping ropes as the day progressed.

 

[jimmywilson69]

I wonder what their metric for estimating anticipated customers was. I mean the demand is definitely pent up. The entire east coast went from extended early fall to deep winter. Okemo and Killington got in the area of 20" of base building snow (plus or minus at each mountain) and it was a holiday weekend.

missing your forecast by more than a 1000 people seems like they need better metrics

 

[drjeff]

I wonder what their metric for estimating anticipated customers was. I mean the demand is definitely pent up. The entire east coast went from extended early fall to deep winter. Okemo and Killington got in the area of 20" of base building snow (plus or minus at each mountain) and it was a holiday weekend.

missing your forecast by more than a 1000 people seems like they need better metrics

Tough to estimate at this time of year, especially with ski school programs (one of the significant metrics based on the number of bookings they have) not started yet.

They knew they were going to have crowds as they had their fleet of shuttle buses ready to go to transport people from the parking lots to the base lodge (Due to a few things I had to do at my condo at Mount Snow early yeaterday morning, I didn't make it to Okemo until about 10:40, and I was parking in lot 2, they one that is just past the railroad bridge as you drive up their access road, and that was was already approaching 1/2 full, but they had ample parking attendants and the shuttle busses were running on 2-3 minute intervals.

Added plus was when I loaded B Quad for my 1st lift ride of the season, I had none other that the legend of Eastern mtn ops and overall general positivity vibes for the skiing/riding community, Brian Hughes, bumping my chair!

 

[NYDB]

How did mount snow not get open? Were they using all their pumping / snowmaking capacity building park features?

did vail get anyplace open besides Okemo?

I guess huntah got open. That sounded like fun.

 

[drjeff]

How did mount snow not get open? Were they using all their pumping / snowmaking capacity building park features?

did vail get anyplace open besides Okemo?

I guess huntah got open. That sounded like fun.

Could they have opened yesterday or today at Mount Snow? Probably. From what I saw in the base area, they are laying it on thick, so they won't need to come back and rehit those trails anytime soon, so they can focus on expanding, not continuing base building efforts. That has been their opening mantra for the last few years now. They also started lighting up the fan guns on Ridge yesterday mid afternoon, and I wouldn't be shocked if when my son gets up to our condo tonight to hit opening day tomorrow, that he tells me that the fan guns on Snowdance are lit up as well now.

Parks wise, last year atleast what they did is they didn't open a trail that a park is on until they have a built park. Fanguns on Gulch were running the last few days. Guess we'll see in a few days if that same plan, open a park trail when it has a built park on it, is this years plan as well

 

[catskillman]

How did mount snow not get open? Were they using all their pumping / snowmaking capacity building park features?

did vail get anyplace open besides Okemo?

I guess huntah got open. That sounded like fun.

Hunter opened yesterday. New lift, Broadway Express, opened. Off load was all ice. Due to the wet guns on the way up everyone and their skis were covered in ice and could not move when they stood up to get of the lift. What a mess....

Wet guns have been a huge issue over the years. Lot of face plants, as there was yesterday. The chopper was there around 10:30 there yesterday, and ski patrol was very busy. Mountain was packed, and there was just 1 way down. Like a roller derby. Bailed......

 

[jimmywilson69]

Added plus was when I loaded B Quad for my 1st lift ride of the season, I had none other that the legend of Eastern mtn ops and overall general positivity vibes for the skiing/riding community, Brian Hughes, bumping my chair!

so Brian is working for Okemo now? I knew he had left Killington and was at Middlebury. Killington should bring that guy back...

 

[joshua segal]

How did mount snow not get open? Were they using all their pumping / snowmaking capacity building park features?

did vail get anyplace open besides Okemo?

I guess huntah got open. That sounded like fun.

All the other New England Vail properties are opening at various days this week i.e. between 12/1 and 12/6.